February 26

I wish the we could just do our job here and not worry. Since Elder Hamula decided to make our institute a YSA resource center, we have been under the gun.  CES Auckland does not want to pay for another renovation which is really necessary if PEF (the Jackson's) is going to be housed in the institute. No one wants to give us any equipment; computers which the Jackson's can not be without, a printer big enough to be networked, general office supplies, etc.  Almost immediately the Facilities Management Department decided to take over the Educational Resource Center where the Jackson's are housed along with Welfare Volunteers.  It seems that FM has money to renovate the ERC and is rapidly moving ahead with the project. This week we were told that a CES guy is coming to check out the institute, and that the Director of Welfare Services is coming from Auckland to check out our building hoping to move some of the welfare volunteer into our building.  I do not like feeling that we are the only ones who care about the needs of the Young Single Adults.

This morning we got a call from our boss, President Sefeti, asking if we could meet the CES administrator at the institute building.  We went with heavy hearts and a prayer. When President Sefeti introduced the administrator, He knew Scott.  It seems that Brother Wilde was the Davis County Director for seminaries and he was very aware of what Scott had done at Viewmont. This was great; if he respected Scott's past work, maybe he would help us get what we need. He has been promoted and is one of three men who work right under Elder Johnson, Church CES administrator, and Brother Webb, Seminaries and Institutes Administrator. He asked great questions about the plans for the institute, about our recommendation for renovations, etc. He was great.  In fact, he asked if we would be available to meet with the church's FM guy who came with him, because he liked our plan for the renovation and wanted him to see the building so he could visualize the plan, see any necessary changes, and speak with Auckland CES intelligently about it. We said that we would.  He then called to set us a time.  After the call, we asked who was coming and he said that it was Trevor Daw. I was in shock.  Trevor Daw?  Is his wife's name Melanie?  Our old neighbor Trevor Daw?  The one we loved so much????  Yes, it was.

Talking to Trevor and our FM guy, Lote in the institute.

Oh it was so nice to know that we had a friend! We went over the plans again, talked about what we were doing in the institute, and what we needed.  Trevor asked some tough questions, but we had answers and we know that he will help us.  We feel that Trevor was an answer to our prayers.  An advocate at last.